African Liberation and Black History Month 2021 Events: February 3: Black History in Canada February 5: Family and Paint – Black History Month February 9: #2: Celebrating Black History Month 2021 February 17: Black History in Canada: A Look Back at 400 Years of Black Presence February 27: Black History Month Paint N Sip February…
(Toronto) – The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) is shocked that new COVID-19 emergency measures announced today fail to include critical workers’ protections including guaranteed paid sick days. This morning, Ontario health officials presented a harrowing picture of the COVID-19 trajectory which includes shrinking hospital spaces, and worsening long-term care conditions as case counts rise…
(Toronto) – The Ontario Federation of Labour demands that MPPs return to the legislature immediately. While Ontario continues to break single-day records for COVID-19 cases and deaths, the legislature’s recess has paused work on urgent issues including implementing paid sick days, addressing the long-term care crisis, establishing a plan for safer classrooms, and developing a…
(Toronto) – In the past week, four workers have been killed at their job on an Ontario construction site, and just yesterday, a fifth worker died at an industrial workplace in Stoney Creek. The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) is devastated by these fatal incidents. While we mourn the lives that were lost, and hope…
The Ford government recently announced its plans to steamroll ahead with a reckless “performance” based funding plan. Post-secondary faculty, academic librarians, staff, and students are opposed to this flawed funding experiment and give the government a failing grade for its approach. The government, which already provides the lowest post-secondary per-student funding in Canada, has now…
Greetings: For more than a decade, the OFL’s March 8 Project has been supporting women’s organizations across Ontario as they rise, resist, and organize for equality across our province. In 2021, as the project enters its 11th year, we are honouring this work with the theme: “SHEROS PERSIST.” It has been an unprecedented year for…
A report released by the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) on December 8 revealed the Ford government is hoarding $12 billion in unspent contingency funds. This is up $2.7 billion from August 26 when the FAO reported $9.3 billion in the reserves. These funds from the COVID-19 Health Sector Response Fund and the Support…
(TORONTO) – The Ontario Federation of Labour, which represents 54 unions and one million workers and advocates for all working people in Ontario, is urging all-party support for MPP Peggy Sattler’s Private Members Bill, entitled “Stay Home If You Are Sick Act”, 2020. If passed, this important piece of legislation will protect workers and our…
(Toronto) – The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) is increasingly dismayed with the Ford government’s lack of targeted action to stop the surge of COVID-19 currently running rampant in Peel, and across Ontario. The OFL is once again calling for the immediate provision of paid sick days, pandemic pay premiums for all essential workers, guaranteed…
OPEN LETTER Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of OntarioHon. Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills DevelopmentHon. Christine Elliott, Minister of Health Dear Premier Ford, Minister McNaughton, and Minister Elliott: As you know, Ontario is now entering a second phase of the COVID19 pandemic. As the representatives of working people from a broad range of…
(TORONTO, ON) ─ The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) said the Fall 2020 Ontario Budget fails to deliver urgent assistance for Ontarians and their families. The legacy of this budget will be its failure to prioritize the needs of the people of Ontario – robust public service investment, safety, and immediate income supports needed to…
(Toronto) – The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) is pleased that the Ford government has recognized the urgent need to establish a legally enforceable minimum standard of an average of four hours direct care time per resident per day in long-term care, but warns that commitment must be spelled out in legislation, and backed with…
The Ontario Federation of Labour demands action for Neskantaga First Nation peoples, who have been evacuated and left without a safe, clean water supply for the winter. The community has lived under a boil water advisory for more than 25 years. “It is appalling that clean drinking water, a basic human right readily available to…
The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) is outraged at the October 22 provincial court decision to grant a permanent injunction against the 1492 Land Defenders. The Federation further denounces the violence that ensued between the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and peaceful Haudenosaunee Land Defenders protecting their traditional territory. Labour leaders from across Ontario will converge…
The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) sends solidarity and supports the Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq’s right to harvest and sell fish for a moderate livelihood, as per the Peace and Friendship Treaties of 1760/61. The over 250-year-old agreement was reaffirmed as a constitutional right by the Supreme Court of Canada through the Marshall decisions of 1999.…
DEADLINE TO APPLY: OCTOBER 26, 2020 4:00 p.m. EST The Ontario Federation of Labour is an equal opportunity employer. As such, it encourages those who have been historically disadvantaged with respect to employment to apply. First Nations, Métis and Inuit persons, persons of colour, persons with a disability, and persons who are 2SLGTBQI+ are encouraged…
(TORONTO) – The Ontario Federation of Labour, which represents 54 unions and one million workers and advocates for all working people in Ontario, is urging all-party support for MPP Mike Schreiner’s Private Members Bill 200, entitled Employment Standards Amendment Act (Sick Notes), 2020. Bill 200, if passed, would permanently prevent employers from requesting sick notes…
DEADLINE TO APPLY: OCTOBER 16, 2020 4:00 p.m. EST The Ontario Federation of Labour is an equal opportunity employer. As such, it encourages those who have been historically disadvantaged with respect to employment to apply. First Nations, Métis and Inuit persons, persons of colour, persons with a disability, and persons who are 2SLGTBQI+ are encouraged to self-identify…
The Ford government has chosen a temporary fix over permanent, meaningful action by providing a time-limited pay bump to PSWs in long-term and congregate care settings, says the Ontario Federation of Labour. “This pay increase should be permanent, and PSW wages should be made universal across the health care sector. Today’s announcement has only entrenched…
Black and Indigenous peoples are more likely to be living in low-income households, have less access to safe housing, have significantly higher rates of child poverty and mortality, earn less for equal work, and die at significantly younger ages.
The intersection of race with inequities in housing, income, and other social determinants of health has placed Black and Indigenous Peoples at greater risk. This is unacceptable. This must change